UPDATE 2-Libya yet to work out US cooperation in Benghazi probe

October 02, 2012|Reuters

* FBI agents in Tripoli, waiting to go to Benghazi

* Protocol for joint investigation yet to be decided

* Security concerns an issue

TRIPOLI, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Libya and the United States haveyet to agree how a U.S. investigative team will cooperate in aprobe into a deadly attack on the U. S. di plomatic mission i n Benghazi, a senior Libyan official said on Tuesday.

FBI agents were sent to Libya after the Sept. 11 attack onthe U .S. d iplomatic mission and a n other facility i n which theU.S. ambassador and three other Americans died. So far they haveconducted interviews in Tripoli and have yet to go to Benghazi.

Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdel Aziz said theprosecutor general had given only verbal approval for a jointinvestigation.

"We are getting ready for the FBI team to go to Benghazi andmeet with our team and start joint investigations together andalso visit the site," he said.

"The FBI team is now in Tripoli. There are others who willcome maybe soon to join the team ... Hopefully in the comingdays we will reach an agreement as to how the (U.S.) team willwork with the Libyan team ... We are now in the context of(awaiting) written permission."

Abdel Aziz was speaking after meeting U.S. AssistantSecretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Elizabeth Jones inTripoli. "It is the right of the United States to be involved,exchange information and investigate what happened in Benghazi,"Abdel Aziz said.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland sidestepped thequestion of whether an agreement had been reached with Libya,but said: "We have a commitment from the Libyan government towork together. Th e re has been cooperation at the politicallevel. The r e has to now be cooperation at the investigativelevel."

She said in State Department contacts with the FBI onTuesday, "th ey expressed confidence that they'll be able to workwell with the Libyans."

An FBI spokesman in Washington would only say that theinvestigation into the Benghazi attack was continuing, but wouldnot comment on where the agents in Libya were located.

A U.S. lawmaker said security was a factor as to why the FBIteam had yet not gone to Benghazi.

"Part of it was security posture, who was going to performthe security was part of it," House intelligence committeeChairman Mike Rogers to ld Reuters. "What worries me is thatcrime scene is so stale now and been well-trampled."

The head of Libya's Supreme Court, Kamal Dahan, who also metJones on Tuesday, told reporters the two countries wouldcooperate but that Libya would lead the probe. Jones also metPrime Minister-elect Mustafa Abushagur.

The Obama administration has described the assault as aterrorist attack and announced a panel to investigate theevents. Its work is separate from the FBI probe.

Libyan officials say eight people have been arrested so farin connection with the attack.